Adjustable fastening device



July 21, 1959 I. STERN Filed Sept. 17, 1954 UnitedStat-es PatentO ADJUSTABLE FASTENING DEVICE Ira Stern, Lawrence, N.Y.

Application September 17, 1954, Serial No. 456,802

1 Claim. (Cl. 24-206) This invention relates generally to fastening devices, and more particularly to an improved adjustable fastening device affording close or fine adjustment.

Devices of the instant type have been used for adjustable closures and for regulating the girth size of waistbands incorporated in womens and mens garments, such as skirts and trousers. Adjustable fastening devices of the present class are also useful in connection with belts and other strap-type elements.

While devices of this general character are known in the art, their use has been somewhat restricted because of the relatively high cost of manufacture. This has been caused by the necessity for special manufacturing machinery and other complexities in structure.

It is therefore among the principal objects of the present invention to provide a novel and useful adjustable fastening device construction which avoids the disadvantages of prior art devices.

Another object lies in the provision of structure of the class described, which in utilizing well-known and readily available slide fastener tape in combination with other elements enables the production of the present devices in large scale at low cost.

Another object herein lies in the provision of adjustable fastening device construction which affords locking positions which are spaced from each other a relatively small distance thereby affording very fine variations of adjustment enhancing the utility of the device.

Another object herein lies in the provision of an adjustable fastening device which may be opened or released, changed in position, and closed or secured with a minimum of skill, care and attention.

These objects and other incidental ends and advantages will more fully appear in the progress of this disclosure and be pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings, in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the structure shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an end elevational view as seen from the left of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view as might be seen from the plane 44 on Figure 5.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary plan view corresponding generally to Figure 1, but showing the device in the open or released position thereof.

Figure 6 is a plan view showing the locking element as removed from the other parts.

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing part of the structure of Figure 5 in an altered position thereof, the parts being, for example, vertically disposed.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view as seen from the plane 88 on Figure 7.

In accordance with the invention, the device, generally indicated by reference character 10, comprises broadly: a

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slide fastener rack element 12, a compound tape base element 14, a slider element 16, and a locking element 18.

The slide fastener rack element 12 is preferably fabricated by taking a first tape stringer 20 and a second tape stringer 21 to which have been applied first and second sets of interengaging slide fastener elements or teeth 23 and 24. As is well-known in the slide fastener art, the teeth are applied discontinuously to a bead 2526. Thus, in actual manufacturing practice, a stage in the manufacture of the slide fasteners may involve the passage of a single tape like the tape 20 through the machine with the slide fastener teeth 23 being applied for a predetermined distance and then interrupted so that there are relatively clear areas of tape between the sets of teeth. Thus for example, the teeth 23 may be applied for a predetermined distance of 3 inches followed by an interruption of 2 inches and this series is repeated. Later, when the 3 inch sections of the zipper teeth are interengaged and the interrupted sections are bisected, devices comparable to the device 10 may be produced in which the sets of teeth 23 and 24 occupy, for example, a tape length of 3 inches While the portions of the tape devoid of zipper teeth may be each 1 inch in length, disposed at each end of the 3 inch zipper toothed area.

In order to prevent separation of the two sets, 23 and 24, of the zipper teeth, there are provided terminal stops 28 and 29. Because the tape stringers 20 and 21 with the teeth 23 and 24 and the stops 28 and 29 may be fabri cated at high speed on the machinery and equipment normally used in the manufacture of ordinary zippers, these portions of the device 10' may therefore be manufactured in large quantity at relatively low cost. Also, since the zippers are normally made in different sizes and colors of teeth and tape, similarly, the present device may be likewise altered to conform to the utilitarian and aesthetic requirements of use.

After the teeth of the zipper tape stringers 20 and 21 have been interengaged and the terminal stops 28 and 29 secured by swaging in a well-known manner, the first and second tapes are placed in the lapped position generally indicated in Figure 8 and a continuous row of machine stitching 29' is applied so that the beads are maintained in juxtaposed position. This completes the fabrication of the compound tape base element 14.

The slider element 16 is of irregular configuration, as shown in the drawing, and comprises a top wall 30, side walls 31 and 32, an anchoring loop 33, trunnion members 34 and 35, and bottom ledges 36 and 37, The trunnion members 34 and 35 are preferably formed by shearing and bending up a pair of ears which are orificed to receive the integral pintles 39 of the locking element 18. The top wall 30 is therefore in two parts separated by the opening between the trunnion members 34 and 35. The loop 33 is preferably integral with, and extends from, a top wall 30. The arrangement of the top wall 30, and side walls 31 and 32, with the bottom ledges 36 and 37 is such as to engage the teeth 23 and 24 and the beads 25 and 26. Depending upon the use for which the device 10 may be especially adapted, it is feasible to have the slider element 16 permanently engaged with the sets of teeth 23 and 24, and this is accomplished by having the terminal stops 28 and 29 larger than the general cross sectional size of the interengaged teeth and beads. Where however it is desired to have the parts separable, the slider 16 may be removable from the rack element 12 by making one or both of the terminal stops 2S and 29 small enough in cross section so that the slider may travel outwardly to be completely disconnected therefrom.

The locking element 18 is mounted in the opening between the trunnion members 34 and 35 by means of the above-mentioned pintles 39. It includes a finger engaging member 40, as well as a pair of tooth engaging lugs .3 41 and 42. The configuration of the element 18 is such that either of the lugs are adapted to engage in the interstices disposed between adjacent slide fastener teeth 23 or 24 when the finger engaging member 40 is moved to the position shown on Figures 2 and 4. As may be seen on Figure 6, the lugs 41 and 42 lie Within a single plane.

The device is assembled, as shown on Figures 1 and 8, in which the trunnion portions 34 and 35 are adapted to surround the slide fastener teeth 23 and 24, as well as the adjoining cloth portions, to which the teeth are secured. Owing to the inner connection of adjacent slide fastener stringer tapes by the stitch means 29, the slide fastener teeth and adjacent cloth portions are elevated above the plane of the tapes 20 and 21, and form grooves in which portions of the trunnion members may be slidably disposed. When the finger engaging member 40 of the locking element 18 is lifted to the position shown in the dashed lines on Figure 4, the anchoring loop 33, and entire slider element 16 may be moved to a desired position upon the length of the rows of teeth 23 and 24, that is to say between the stops 28 and 29. Upon the lowering of the finger engaging member 40 to the position shown in solid lines on Figure 4, and on Figure 2, the lugs 41 and 42 will be lowered to a position wherein one of the lugs will enter the interstice between two adjacent slide fastener teeth, while the other will depress the oppositely disposed slide fastener tooth, as shown on Figure 8. No damage results from this action since sufficient clearance is provided by the folding of the stringer tape disposed immediately therebeneath, In each case, irrespective of the particular adjustment selected, either the lug 41 or the lug 42 will enter a given interstice, while the other lug will slightly depress the tooth adjacent the interstice. Owing to the fact that the individual slide fastener teeth are in most cases only of an inch in depth, extremely fine adjustment throughout the entire length of the interconnected slide fastener elements is possible.

It may thus be seen that I have invented novel and highly useful improvements in adjustable fastening devices, in which there has been provided a means for extremely fine adjustment between the relative moving parts. The device may be constructed using techniques already known and existing in the art, and in many cases, the

4 cost of manufacture may be considerably reduced by using slide fastener stringer tapes with attached slide fastener teeth which are unsuited for actual operation as a slide fastener closure. The device is simple in construction, as Well as durable, thereby assuring a relatively long, useful life.

I wish it to be understood that I do not consider the invention limited to the exact details of structure shown and set forth in this specification, for obvious modifications will occur to those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains.

I claim:

In adjustable fastening device comprising: a base element, a rack element, a slider element and a locking element; said base element including a pair of slide fastener tape stringers; said rack element including engaged slide fastener teeth held in projected position with respect to said base element by the interconnection of said tape elements comprising said base element along a line disposed beneath said engaged slide fastener teeth; said sliding element engaging said slide fastener teeth; said locking element including a pair of locking lugs disposed in a plane perpendicular to the axis of said stringers, the distance between the free ends of said locking lugs being substantially greater than the width of a slide fastener tooth; said engaged slide fastener teeth having alternately staggered interstices therebetween, said lugs having means for simultaneously being lowered upon said teeth in such manner that one of said lugs enter one of said interstices, While the other of said lugs will simultaneously contact an oppositely disposed tooth to push the same against a portion of a stringer disposed directly therebeneath.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,969,672 Poux Aug. 7, 1934 2,447,329 Goldblatt Aug. 17, 1948 2,559,883 Legat July 10, 1951 2,764,795 Carlile Oct. 2, 1956 2,770,024 Statham Nov. 13, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,063,294 France Dec. 16, 1953 

